Well-Rested Whale Top Monarchs, 3-0

March 16, 2013|Information provided by the Connecticut Whale, The Hartford Courant

HARTFORD — — Six days' rest proved key for the Connecticut Whale, as they picked up a critical 3-0 win over the Manchester Monarchs on Saturday night.

Manchester, sitting in the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference prior to the game, and the Whale are now tied for the seventh spot. Jason Missiaen got his second shutout of the year in goal and earned an assist on the game-winner.

Whale head coach Ken Gernander had praise for the team.

"Jason Missiaen has continually gotten better, he's been a factor in our last two wins," the coach said.

"I think there was extra effort tonight, not desperate, but when the situation calls for it we'll find that extra emotion as well," Gernander said.

Andrew Yogan took his first of two penalties in the first period at 4:44, hooking an uncontested Linden Vey in the slot. Despite the man-down situation, the Whale got on the board first with a shorthander. Missiaen threw a puck around the defensive glass and Kreider broke the puck out on the bench-side wing. With a smooth give-and-go to Kris Newbury on the Whale logo at center, Kreider streaked in on Manchester goalie Martin Jones, dodged the poke-check and moved forehand to backhand for his 10th goal of the year at 5:22.

"It's nice to see a guy who works as hard as [Andrew Carroll] does get rewarded," Kreider said. And it's nice having two very capable goalies. It helps team morale, [Missiaen] was just eating up pucks tonight."

The Monarchs ran into penalty trouble in the back half of the first periof, but escaped the first trailing 1-0 despite an even 9-9 shot count.

Vincent LoVerde got his stick on the hands of Benn Ferriero at 14:11, and Brandon Mashinter earned his 10th goal of the year on the ensuing man advantage, with a backhand shot from the left side, assisted by Yogan and Logan Pyett.

Connecticut completed its scoring when Kyle Jean went to the corner and poked the puck to Mike Vernace. Vernace got the puck into the slot to Carroll, who made it 3-0.

Late in the second, Missiaen preserved his shutout, denying a Brandon Kozun cross-crease attempt. "I just try to stay focused and work hard, so when I do get in the net it's not something new, it's a part of my routine," Missiaen said. "I try to keep my game simple, keep the play in front of me, and the boys cleared the front out for me tonight. Three posts, but I'll take 'em. And a good kill tonight."

A handful of penalties were accumulated in a scoreless third, as Connecticut finished a perfect 7-for-7 on penalty killing. Jones put together a solid performance for Manchester, stopping 21 of 24, while Missiaen stopped 27 in the Whale net.